squirrel bite, worry about rabies?

[Sam]

How's it going my fellow squirrel lovers, im not sure if this is the correct forum to post in so sorry if it is not.

My question is this to whomever feels like they have a bit of knowledge about these things, basically about 4 or 5 months ago i was outside looking at a squirrel who was playing or climbing around on a fence.
I wen't up to the fence because i wanted to look at the cute fella up close, i foolishly decided to lean my hand in so he could sniff me, but instead he bit one of my fingers then ran away.

This happened in the Santa Monica/West Los Angeles area in California.

Now i have read so many mixed answers on the web about this, some people say squirrels don't carry rabies long enough to infect humans or that they don't carry it at all even though there are some records ... very little records, but some say to go get rabies shot because i could have gotten infected from the bite.

Basically i could use some tips or advise on what you guys would do in my situation and you got bitten by a wild squirrel?

Also i know its been some time since the bite so i don't even know if they would even give me shots if i requested it at the hospital :( im really scared about this and my hypochondria makes me feel like its too late for any help if i did need shots.

[Squirreleesi]

Hello! No need to be worried. Unless the squirrel was showing symptoms of Rabies you have nothing to be worried about. I have been bitten by squirrels literally hundreds of times (i'm a licensed wildlife rehabber), the only real concern you should be worried about is infection.. Squirrel bites can be nasty, so make sure you clean it out really well and see a doctor if it appears to be getting infected (redness, feels hot to the touch, oozing puss, intense tenderness at injury site). Rabies in squirrels is incredibly rare. So rare that hospitals won't even precaution-vaccinate you if you go in with a squirrel bite. Most of the animals that carry Rabies, at least up here in the NE, are also nocturnal, so Squirrels don't usually come in contact with those animals, not to mention, if they do get mauled by a sick predator, it's often a fatal encounter, or the squirrel is in serious condition :/

Also, Rabies symptoms in Humans usually show up between 9 days after exposure and 8 weeks... so if you had been exposed, which i honestly seriously doubt you were, you would been showing signs by now.. typically the early side effects are tingling/twitching at your injury site and is accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue.

I hope this helps makes you feel a little better and i'm sure more people will pop on in here to assure you :)

[stepnstone]

How's it going my fellow squirrel lovers, im not sure if this is the correct forum to post in so sorry if it is not.

My question is this to whomever feels like they have a bit of knowledge about these things, basically about 4 or 5 months ago i was outside looking at a squirrel who was playing or climbing around on a fence.
I wen't up to the fence because i wanted to look at the cute fella up close, i foolishly decided to lean my hand in so he could sniff me, but instead he bit one of my fingers then ran away.
This happened in the Santa Monica/West Los Angeles area in California.
Now i have read so many mixed answers on the web about this, some people say squirrels don't carry rabies long enough to infect humans or that they don't carry it at all even though there are some records ... very little records, but some say to go get rabies shot because i could have gotten infected from the bite.
Basically i could use some tips or advise on what you guys would do in my situation and you got bitten by a wild squirrel?
Also i know its been some time since the bite so i don't even know if they would even give me shots if i requested it at the hospital :( im really scared about this and my hypochondria makes me feel like its too late for any help if i did need shots.

Relax, you don't have rabies. Besides... 4 or 5 months ago and your still paranoid??
Squirrels can't see well up close due to the way their eyes are set, you got bit because
he couldn't distinguish your finger from food.
What the majority of us do is wash it with an antiseptic, maybe apply an ab ointment, throw
a band aid on it and keep on going. We get bit a lot, some of us more then others... :rotfl

[Charley Chuckles]

Hi Sam..first I can't really say I have been bit by a wild. That said I have been bit by many even my released ones.
We here in Florida had an issue last week about a kid being bit by a bat...(father brought it home from work told kid not to touch it :eek) kid did and got bit...they waseded the kids hands and that was that not realizing BATS DO carry rabies...the kid died from rabies.....BUT it was a bat.
I have never heard of anyone dying from a squirrel bite.
#1 A squirrel DOES NOT carry rabies.
#2 The only way a squirrel could get rabies would be if it were attacked by an animal that had rabies.
#3 So the squirrel would be attacked///would take time to have the rabies effect it.
#4 Squirrel would be dead and not able to affect anyone else.

Point is I am saying you would be safe......but don't take my word for it.
If squirrels carried rabies, which they do not we or many of us here would be pushing up daisies.
That said IMHP your safe :w00t

[Sam]

Relax, you don't have rabies. Besides... 4 or 5 months ago and your still paranoid??
Squirrels can't see well up close due to the way their eyes are set, you got bit because
he couldn't distinguish your finger from food.
What the majority of us do is wash it with an antiseptic, maybe apply an ab ointment, throw
a band aid on it and keep on going. We get bit a lot, some of us more then others... :rotfl

Thank you for your reassurance!
However the only reason why im still a little worried is because there's information out there that said it could take up to a year or more for symptoms to start in some people..i read someone only displayed symptoms after 7 years!
however im sure those must have been extremely rare cases, but yeah that's why im so worried.

[Sam]

Hi Sam..first I can't really say I have been bit by a wild. That said I have been bit by many even my released ones.
We here in Florida had an issue last week about a kid being bit by a bat...(father brought it home from work told kid not to touch it :eek) kid did and got bit...they waseded the kids hands and that was that not realizing BATS DO carry rabies...the kid died from rabies.....BUT it was a bat.
I have never heard of anyone dying from a squirrel bite.
#1 A squirrel DOES NOT carry rabies.
#2 The only way a squirrel could get rabies would be if it were attacked by an animal that had rabies.
#3 So the squirrel would be attacked///would take time to have the rabies effect it.
#4 Squirrel would be dead and not able to affect anyone else.

Point is I am saying you would be safe......but don't take my word for it.
If squirrels carried rabies, which they do not we or many of us here would be pushing up daisies.
That said IMHP your safe :w00t

Thank you :) i really appreciate your input on my worries.

[Sam]

Hello! No need to be worried. Unless the squirrel was showing symptoms of Rabies you have nothing to be worried about. I have been bitten by squirrels literally hundreds of times (i'm a licensed wildlife rehabber), the only real concern you should be worried about is infection.. Squirrel bites can be nasty, so make sure you clean it out really well and see a doctor if it appears to be getting infected (redness, feels hot to the touch, oozing puss, intense tenderness at injury site). Rabies in squirrels is incredibly rare. So rare that hospitals won't even precaution-vaccinate you if you go in with a squirrel bite. Most of the animals that carry Rabies, at least up here in the NE, are also nocturnal, so Squirrels don't usually come in contact with those animals, not to mention, if they do get mauled by a sick predator, it's often a fatal encounter, or the squirrel is in serious condition :/

Also, Rabies symptoms in Humans usually show up between 9 days after exposure and 8 weeks... so if you had been exposed, which i honestly seriously doubt you were, you would been showing signs by now.. typically the early side effects are tingling/twitching at your injury site and is accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, loss of appetite, nausea, and fatigue.

I hope this helps makes you feel a little better and i'm sure more people will pop on in here to assure you :)


thank you very much for all that information and advice, so in your opinion if you were bitten by a wild city squirrel you wouldn't ask for any kind of rabies shot?
and i don't remember the squirrel acting strange, it had no wounds that i can remember. However it was 4 months ago ish.

[stepnstone]

thank you very much for all that information and advice, so in your opinion if you were bitten by a wild city squirrel you wouldn't ask for any kind of rabies shot?
and i don't remember the squirrel acting strange, it had no wounds that i can remember. However it was 4 months ago ish.

If bitten you say, I've been bitten numerous times, sitting here now with a puncture on my knuckle from a squirrel. No I wouldn't ask for and have never needed a shot.
Bottom line is squirrels are not a rabies vector species. Their immune system can not support the virus, one would have to be able to support the virus in order to spread it.
If a squirrel would be attacked by a rabid animal and managed to survive, because the system can not support the virus it would quickly kill it. You would have to have come into contact with an infected squirrel pretty soon after it was attacked by a rabid animal to have any real concern.

[Sam]

If bitten you say, I've been bitten numerous times, sitting here now with a puncture on my knuckle from a squirrel. No I wouldn't ask for and have never needed a shot.
Bottom line is squirrels are not a rabies vector species. Their immune system can not support the virus, one would have to be able to support the virus in order to spread it.
If a squirrel would be attacked by a rabid animal and managed to survive, because the system can not support the virus it would quickly kill it. You would have to have come into contact with an infected squirrel pretty soon after it was attacked by a rabid animal to have any real concern.

I'm assuming if it had been attacked by an animal that was rabid recently i'd probably notice scratches and stuff?
im sorry if i sound so silly but i don't know where else to ask these questions and if the squirrels around my city have any sort of rabies.
So bottom line..you don't think i should be concerned even if it was a wild squirrel?

sorry for being so repetitive!
i really appreciate your help :)

[TubeDriver]

As others have said, it is almost certain that you have not contacted rabies from a squirrel bite. If you call your local health department or your primary doctor, they will not recommend rabies shots. Although anything is theoretically possible, it just has not happened, there is not a single well documented case of squirrel to human rabies transmission. Period.

If you want to be 100% certain, you could get the rabies shots but they are extremely expensive (often many thousands of dollars) and the odds of you have a series adverse reaction to the rabies shots are probably much higher than the incredibly remote chance of actually getting rabies from a squirrel.

The rehabbers/members on this board (including myself) have collectively been bitten MANY, MANY, MANY times over many years often by sick/injured squirrels and nobody has ever got rabies nor have we even heard of this happening.

If you are truly becoming anxious or traumatized by the possibility of rabies (despite the incredibly remote chances of this occuring) talk to your doctor and see what they say.

[Sam]

As others have said, it is almost certain that you have not contacted rabies from a squirrel bite. If you call your local health department or your primary doctor, they will not recommend rabies shots. Although anything is theoretically possible, it just has not happened, there is not a single well documented case of squirrel to human rabies transmission. Period.

If you want to be 100% certain, you could get the rabies shots but they are extremely expensive (often many thousands of dollars) and the odds of you have a series adverse reaction to the rabies shots are probably much higher than the incredibly remote chance of actually getting rabies from a squirrel.

The rehabbers/members on this board (including myself) have collectively been bitten MANY, MANY, MANY times over many years often by sick/injured squirrels and nobody has ever got rabies nor have we even heard of this happening.

If you are truly becoming anxious or traumatized by the possibility of rabies (despite the incredibly remote chances of this occuring) talk to your doctor and see what they say.


thank a lot for your input you guys have helped calm me a lot with your feedback.
however you mention being bit by squirrels in the past, were they all your squirrels? or have you encountered wild squirrel bites as well?
that's the only reason i was concerned is because its a regular wild squirrel just running around the neighborhood.
i probably won't go get the shots since no one really recommends it.
but hearing your guys opinions is helping a lot.
i've been having headaches and weird muscle spasm that freaked me out and made me think if this event with the squirrel about 4 months ago

[TubeDriver]

Rehabbers get bitten by wild squirrels all the time.




thank a lot for your input you guys have helped calm me a lot with your feedback.
however you mention being bit by squirrels in the past, were they all your squirrels? or have you encountered wild squirrel bites as well?
that's the only reason i was concerned is because its a regular wild squirrel just running around the neighborhood.
i probably won't go get the shots since no one really recommends it.
but hearing your guys opinions is helping a lot.
i've been having headaches and weird muscle spasm that freaked me out and made me think if this event with the squirrel about 4 months ago

[SophieSquirrel]

Oh if only I had a dollar for every squirrel bite I received over 30+ years! Even if a squirrel is acting "rabid" it's probably had head trauma or is drunk on fermented fruit.

Drunk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YJkAABmO9w

Not drunk - probably neurological

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMWmE09BZ50

[Sam]

Oh if only I had a dollar for every squirrel bite I received over 30+ years! Even if a squirrel is acting "rabid" it's probably had head trauma or is drunk on fermented fruit.

Drunk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YJkAABmO9w

Not drunk - probably neurological

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMWmE09BZ50



:) yeah i know you guys are probably right and i should relax..i guess i don't know too much about wild squirrels so i got really concerned

[stepnstone]

however you mention being bit by squirrels in the past, were they all your squirrels? or have you encountered wild squirrel bites as well?

Past, present and no doubt future. Many of us don't just get "babies" to treat, raise, rehabilitate, we take in injuried wilds.
I also rescue when needed out of attics, chimneys, walls, wherever. Nothing bites faster then an already pissed off squirrel. :rolf

Your young and your trying to self diagnose by things you've read and through uneducated remarks, your not going to talk
yourself into having rabies but you can talk yourself into being sick with your paranoia. If we who handle squirrels day in and
day out can not calm your fears but someone in the medical profession is what it takes to invalidate your fears then by all
means seek medical attention.
Just don't be surprised by this look http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/butter/uncertain-smiley-emoticon.pngwhen you mention the incident happened four months ago.....

[Diggie's Friend]

California mostly raccoons and foxes have been found to carry this diseases. In other states where testing was done, like in the State of South Dakota, in a study done over a 16 year period tested about 70 tree squirrels, none were found to carry this disease. In tree squirrels this is a very rare disease to see, and more rare for it to be transferred to humans. Still it is good to educate yourself on these issues from reputable sources, like the CDC.


Rats and other small rodents have never caused a single case of human rabies in the United States. (CDC)
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?57595-Wildlife-Diseases-and-US-Maps-by-State-PDF

http://www.ratbehavior.org/WildRatDisease.htm

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-23460709

https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/pest-health-hub/health-hazards-posed-by-rodents/

[Diggie's Friend]

Small correction, skunks are the number one carrier of rabies in California. Just stay away for them for that reason, and of course for the other!

If this had been recently in a wild area, I would say that at the time it occured to tell your doctor, for with rodents there are less rare diseases that can be transmitted by a bite that penetrates the skin and draws blood, and some just by contact. As for rat fever, since the symptoms develop quickly, that doesn't appear a reasonable concern on that account, as what is noted on this disease is that symptoms develop rather quickly. Again for your own peace of mind it wouuld be good for you to familiarize yourself with the various diseases one can acquire from the bite of a rodent, and or contact with them as well.

I have also read the same notation on a longterm incubation of rabies, and for that reason I understand your concern in reading that. If it were me I would ask my doctor about this, and relate my concerns on this. If blood was not drawn from the bite, there shodl be no basis for concern, as it takes an exchange of bodily fluids to transmit rabies. If not then there should be no reason for concern for rabies, as it takes an exchange of fluids to pass this disease from an animal to a human. Still if you are concerned speak to your doctor about it, letting them know of your concern is good to do.

Another thing you can do is to contact the park rangers in this area to inquire if there has been any outbreaks of diseases that are tranmittable to humans in that time frame in that area reported. If so find out what they are, and speak to your physician about it.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/rat-bite-fever

Just curious, do you happen to recall what kind of squirrel it was?

Anytime you put your hand towards a squirrel that allows you to come close to it, it is habitatuate to being fed, and so it went for where it expected food and got your finger instead, It didn't stay for it didn't find food. This is very typical. I was bitten, but the bit didn't penetrate my skin, let along cause bleeding.

[Nancy in New York]

Past, present and no doubt future. Many of us don't just get "babies" to treat, raise, rehabilitate, we take in injuried wilds.
I also rescue when needed out of attics, chimneys, walls, wherever. Nothing bites faster then an already pissed off squirrel. :rolf



One example of stepnstone and TubeDriver helping an injured wild alpha male squirrel.
They make it look easy! :eek

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-kxbG5DS/0/8b6efb86/M/i-kxbG5DS-M.jpg

[muggsy'sgm]

I, too, have been "bitten" by various things throughout my thus far short-tenured venture into "rehabbing." Turtles, birds, cats, and of course, squirrel!!!

I'm not worried about rabies.

I did, however, get a tetanus booster shot shortly after being bitten to the bone by my dear, sweet, Muggsy-the-Eastern-Grey. My thumbnail still doesn't grow right!!! The bites have never gotten infected (other than feline bites, which I've had go "bad" twice...REAL bad).

I promise you, if you are worried about something from 4 months ago...you don't have anything to worry about. In Florida, even if you are bitten by an animal that's immunization records aren't known...they will only quarantine said animal for 7-10 days...then you can get the animal back. That's ALL the time needed to determine if the animal is infected...
(source: saved a stray cat once, it bit a vet tech, dept of health quarantined said stray for 7 days, and we got him back...no one had to get rabies shot or anything...well, except for the cat)

[TubeDriver]

Step got nailed by that squirrel (Brutus)and blood was drawn, my kevlar gloves prevented bites from breaking my skin (still hurt though)! We did have Brutus inside for treatment and recovery for several months before he was successfully released so we knew he had no symptoms of rabies but that really was not a concern.

Sam - In your case, a healthy appearing squirrel took a chomp at a finger that was placed in front if it and then ran off. All perfectly normal behavior for a squirrel.




One example of stepnstone and TubeDriver helping an injured wild alpha male squirrel.
They make it look easy! :eek

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-kxbG5DS/0/8b6efb86/M/i-kxbG5DS-M.jpg

[stepnstone]

Step got nailed by that squirrel (Brutus)and blood was drawn, my kevlar gloves prevented bites from breaking my skin
But they didn't keep them maggots from crawling up on you... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/laughing/crying.gif

[TubeDriver]

:eek yea, that was pretty gross.

Brutus was a mess but he rallied and grew strong after you and I helped him! He continued to visit on and off for a while and although I have not seen him in a while, he might still be out there kicking ass and taking names! :great



But they didn't keep them maggots from crawling up on you... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emo/laughing/crying.gif

[Coralreefer]

:) yeah i know you guys are probably right and i should relax..i guess i don't know too much about wild squirrels so i got really concerned

Been bitten by many wild squirrels.
One had a case of mange so bad he looked like a leper.
No issues.

Well I've got mental issues but those are not squirrel bite related. :crazy1:grin2

[Grinderhead]

Well I've got mental issues but those are not squirrel bite related. :crazy1:grin2

Boy can I relate to that!:thumbsup:laugh2

[Diggie's Friend]

There was a program on the other day on a program entitled, "The Monsters Within". that featured one case of "Rat Bit Fever". Thign is it isn't aways transmitted by a bite, but also from rat feces. And though mostly rats carry this disease wild squirrels can as well. Of the humans infected by this particular parasitical infection, most survive, yet a few don't. Mostly seen in rats as the name implies it si still possible mice, ground squirrels, and last of all tree squirrels could be infected wtih this disease.

What we should take away from this discussion is that there is more to considered with a bite from a wild squirrel than the very rare rabies, for there are potentially other infectious diseases that can be transmitted from a bite from tree squirrels to humans by this means, yet not limited to this means. WNV is one commonly found to be carried by tree squirrels in california, but not limited to this region.
What the CDC states is if you are bitten by any wild animal to immediately seek medical support. The CDC keeps a close monitor of outbreaks of infectious diseases, which doctors have access to, even to where the outbreaks presently are. Checking with medical profecssionals is the quickest way to ensure any care you may need is given in a timely fashion.

If then you are bitten by a wild see medical aide; don't wait, for tests can be done to check to see if you have been infected or not. As for those that handling wild tree squirrels, be they adults or fiesty juveniles, wearing both Kevlar glove liners and a ceramic glove over it for double protection, is highly advisable. I pesonally know of a rehabber in TX that got ill and assumed it was from WNV, nothing to take so lightly even so not a vector species for rabies.

[Diggie's Friend]

I began to write of other means how the virus is tranferred is from mosquito bites, but see I got off track for a moment. Ticks have also been found in the NY region to carry this disease.

http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/FastFacts/pdfs/west_nile_fever_F.pdf

Amongst the other diseases that can be tranmitted by insects, that have been commonly found on mammals from deer, to birds, and small mammals, far from being limited to rodents, is Lyme disease.

Some years back I was bitten by a black legged tick while working in my garden. I realized this when I found a dead tick stuck to my clothing against my skin with my blood I had assumed next to it. I put it into a plastic bottle and took to my doctor, who initialy did't find the tell tale ring on my skin. I also went to see an infectious disease specialist, where the ring was seen first by the assistant, not having shown up at the time when I was first examined by my GP. In this two exams were better than one, as it takes time for the ring to appear. Thankfully the tick was found to not carry Lyme, or the other similar diseases shield ticks are known to commonly carry. I still have a numb spot where it bit me; my GP told me it was an enzyme the ticks inject into the skin of their hosts that numbs the area, so that they can suck your blood undetected, which it apparently did! :eek

Waiting too long to be tested for a possible infection is a bad idea; I admit it was more than two weeks since I had been bitten that I decided to take the tick in for my doctor to test it. In the case of lyme disease and other similar diseases, there is a short time frame when it can be eradicated by specific anti biotics; afterwards it changes form in the body, where it may lie dormant for many years till serious symptoms surface. Acting on a matter like this, be it a tick bite or animal bite can make a significant difference in the outcome in your life and that of your loved ones.
.

[stepnstone]

So much for trying to calm this guys paranoia over rabies,
lets just hand him a few more reasons to stress over dying.... :shakehead

[Scooterzmom]

Been bitten by squirrels dozens of times, was bitten by cats twice, by dog twice... results?
infection each and every time from cats, from dogs, even had to get on IV antibiotic from one of the cats. But, from squirrels...??? NADA!!!! Not even the slightest infection.

Granted, if it happens I make sure to make it bleed properly so bacteria doesn't stay inside, and clean the bite thoroughly, AB cream and band-aid... and voilà!

Edit:Ohhh I forgot! A good Tylenol if the bite is on the tip or into the nail of a finger... man those ones hurt and throb! :rolf

[Chickenlegs]

So much for trying to calm this guys paranoia over rabies,
lets just hand him a few more reasons to stress over dying.... :shakehead

And a couple of vallium :grin3

[SophieSquirrel]

was bitten by cats twice - even had to get on IV antibiotic from one of the cats

Here you go....

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/study-cat-bites-are-more-dangerous-than-dog-bites-021214.html

My squirrel infested home guarded against cats by Sgt Patches the P.D.

298184

[stepnstone]

Granted, if it happens I make sure to make it bleed properly so bacteria doesn't stay inside, and clean the bite thoroughly, AB cream and band-aid... and voilà!

Can you bottle that? Common sense has really gotten to be a rare commodity these days......

[Scooterzmom]

Here you go....

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/study-cat-bites-are-more-dangerous-than-dog-bites-021214.html

My squirrel infested home guarded against cats by Sgt Patches the P.D.

298184

:rolf

[Mel1959]

I tell my children all the time....just because you read something on the internet doesn’t mean it’s true. It must come from a reliable source AND you have to read between the print to decipher if the statement is completely skewed by an unrealistic exposure to a component or not. IMHO!

[Diggie's Friend]

https://avmajournals.avma.org/action/showPopup?citid=citart1&id=table5&doi=10.2460%2Fjavma.250.10.1117

No reported incidents of tree squirrel bites infecting people in California with rabies.

http://www.laanimalservices.com/about-animals/wildlife/squirrels/

Common sense don't come into close contact with wild animals save you are a rehabber, and know how to safely handle them.

Should you be bitten by any wild animal including a tree squirrel, follow theCDC protocol to consult with your physician exam you, and run tests if needed.
.

[postalkittie]

got three baby wild squirrels about 3 months ago. each one came to us and one even ran up leg. figured squirrel that had been run over as they keeped coming to us . was afraid of them dying so took in. Lost one with in 1 day . other 2 were doing fine until two weeks ago lost another one and this morning my third one was fine when i first went to fed her, my spouse went in about a hour latter to give her a treat she grabbed her chest and fell over and heart was racing. she then just went to the nest and seemed fine about four hours later went to check on her cause heard her making crying sound. when i went to touch her she bite me severly and would not let go she just kept biting down . she has bitten before but not like this . anyhow checked with doctor on last tetnaious thats been 8 years ago said was fine but to as they dont do rabies vacination go to er. as have had the squirrels since mid november could they have rabies? sorry could not find inccubation time or symptums.also vet. said dont need rabies shot. please forgive spelling. any and all help appreciated

[Spanky]

got three baby wild squirrels about 3 months ago. each one came to us and one even ran up leg. figured squirrel that had been run over as they keeped coming to us . was afraid of them dying so took in. Lost one with in 1 day . other 2 were doing fine until two weeks ago lost another one and this morning my third one was fine when i first went to fed her, my spouse went in about a hour latter to give her a treat she grabbed her chest and fell over and heart was racing. she then just went to the nest and seemed fine about four hours later went to check on her cause heard her making crying sound. when i went to touch her she bite me severly and would not let go she just kept biting down . she has bitten before but not like this . anyhow checked with doctor on last tetnaious thats been 8 years ago said was fine but to as they dont do rabies vacination go to er. as have had the squirrels since mid november could they have rabies? sorry could not find inccubation time or symptums.also vet. said dont need rabies shot. please forgive spelling. any and all help appreciated

You have nothing to worry about in the rabies arena.

What were you feeding these babies?

[postalkittie]

we were giving them kitten formula by bottle at first then wild songbird food witch the outdoor squirrels regularlly eat it has sunflower- seeds corn - dried cherries. they also recieved peanuts and other fruits nuts and seeds- and some veggies. The original site i checked did not include insects which i found out today. I would not be as freaked about bite if the first two did not die and now brittney looks like she also will not make it cann't get to vet until tomorrow and seen rabies can show up in animals from 7 days to 2 years depending on amimal and bite and symptoms match the one i lost two weeks ago and now brittney. since the are so tiny and fragile having them almost 3 months i was calm reading answeres but the more i look the more questions i have just to clarify everything. sorry for bugging everyone but your help is appreciated as i'm just trying to help the little ones:grouphug

[GoldenEyes]

I hope someone here will be able to recommend a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area. I think that would be in Brittney's best interest. She's suffering from malnutrition and possibly Metabolic Bone Disease.

https://www.henryspets.com/mbd/

[stepnstone]

we were giving them kitten formula by bottle at first then wild songbird food witch the outdoor squirrels regularlly eat it has sunflower- seeds corn - dried cherries. they also recieved peanuts and other fruits nuts and seeds- and some veggies. The original site i checked did not include insects which i found out today. I would not be as freaked about bite if the first two did not die and now brittney looks like she also will not make it cann't get to vet until tomorrow and seen rabies can show up in animals from 7 days to 2 years depending on amimal and bite and symptoms match the one i lost two weeks ago and now brittney. since the are so tiny and fragile having them almost 3 months i was calm reading answeres but the more i look the more questions i have just to clarify everything. sorry for bugging everyone but your help is appreciated as i'm just trying to help the little ones:grouphug

Unfortunately that "diet" is what's killing your babies and pain is why your getting bit. Kitten formula was wrong to began with, it should have been a qualified puppy formula. Kitten formula does not have the nutrition or calcium a squirrel requires. A squirrel has a very high calcium requirement. Fruit does not hold any nutritional value and all the nuts, seed, and corn has done is rob their bodies of calcium causing MBD. (Metabolic bone disease) The symptoms you describe with the last baby pretty much confirms that. MBD can be turned around in most cases IF it's not to late. MBD is painful, mbd kills.

If you have any chance to save her you must start the protocol for mbd immediately!
Click on this link: https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?17680-Emergency-Treatment-for-MBD-(Updated-3-31-09)

(https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?17680-Emergency-Treatment-for-MBD-(Updated-3-31-09))If you are successful you must correct that diet! This link is for the healthy diet for pet / captive squirrels:
https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels

Feeding a pet/captive squirrel by what the wilds are seen eating is a common uneducated mistake many make. A good quality rodent block should have been the first solid food introduced. In the wild squirrels eat a large variety of different foods to balance their daily nutritional requirements. They know what to eat and how to eat to maintain that balance. In captivity we have to balance that requirement with and how we know and feed them accordingly.




(https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?44440-Healthy-Diet-for-Pet-Squirrels)

[postalkittie]

when i got babies my daughter checked into what to feed them. this is what they told us to feed them. at time did not know of the squirrel. sorry cause as ussual my good intensions screwed things up and mi caused my babies to suffer. as i regularlly feed and they eat the wild songbird food should i stop giving it to the outside wild squirrels?

[GoldenEyes]

when i got babies my daughter checked into what to feed them. this is what they told us to feed them. at time did not know of the squirrel. sorry cause as ussual my good intensions screwed things up and mi caused my babies to suffer. as i regularlly feed and they eat the wild songbird food should i stop giving it to the outside wild squirrels?

Hi, postalkittie. I know you meant well. Unfortunately, whoever said giving the squirrels seeds, nuts and fruit gave you the wrong advice. Hopefully, it's not too late to correct this. Will you be able to administer Calcium as recommended in the website that stepnstone provided and will you be able to feed the squirrel the proper foods also?

[postalkittie]

thank you for all the advise will do

[postalkittie]

britney took a quarter of the calcium from dropper no problems .seemed to want more but following the distribution rate. put rice sock by her. since not very mobile as yet should i give her puppy formula to help fed her as i do not have any rodent blocks as of yet.

[Mel1959]

Yes, if she will take puppy formula (powdered Esbilac) then you can certainly give it to her. She might also like full fat vanilla yogurt offered in a shallow bowl. It can be messy, though.

It’s imperative that you follow the MBD protocol to the letter. Her calcium level needs to be maintained by offering the calcium at regular intervals. Even if you notice an improvement you must continue giving calcium. The MBD didn’t happen overnight and it can’t be cured overnight. It may take several months, but hang in there. :hug I hope Britney recovers.

[stepnstone]

britney took a quarter of the calcium from dropper no problems .seemed to want more but following the distribution rate. put rice sock by her. since not very mobile as yet should i give her puppy formula to help fed her as i do not have any rodent blocks as of yet.

Yes as long as you have the correct puppy formula, it should be the powered, never liquid.
I'm attaching a picture below of the correct Esbilac formula.

Can you purchase a non-shut off heating pad? The rice sock is really not adequate for a continued heat source.
Also I would purchase some liquid infant ibuprofen to give this baby as mbd is painful and managing pain is detrimental to healing.
We will need a weight on baby for dosing.
Are you going to try to turn this baby around yourself or are you willing to relinquish to an experienced rehabber? No pressure, just asking.
If you are going to do this yourself, you must follow the directions provided by this board and not deviate from the established course.

307450

[postalkittie]

sorry took so long but did not want to say anything to early. But thankfully I found this sight as brittney is doing fantastic. took about 4 days to see good improvment. Shes almost back to 100 percent . any advice about how to get her to eat wide variety of food from diet list would be helpful. fruits no problem veggies not so good unless I LEAVE UNTIL SHES REALLY HUNGRY. also what is normal amount to feed about 1 to 2 lbs. also having problem getting to take calcium. any suggestions on where to get the rodent foodcan not find at pet store or feed store and if still should get and did try to get rehaber still waiting on call back since multy messages left over week and a half. Like I said thank you so much as without everyones help I would have lost her.:hug

[GoldenEyes]

sorry took so long but did not want to say anything to early. But thankfully I found this sight as brittney is doing fantastic. took about 4 days to see good improvment. Shes almost back to 100 percent . any advice about how to get her to eat wide variety of food from diet list would be helpful. fruits no problem veggies not so good unless I LEAVE UNTIL SHES REALLY HUNGRY. also what is normal amount to feed about 1 to 2 lbs. also having problem getting to take calcium. any suggestions on where to get the rodent foodcan not find at pet store or feed store and if still should get and did try to get rehaber still waiting on call back since multy messages left over week and a half. Like I said thank you so much as without everyones help I would have lost her.:hug

Thank you for the update, postalkittie. I'm glad to hear Brittney is doing a lot better.

This is where to get Henry's Healthy Blocks. They need to be stored in the freezer right away or they will go bad. Put one out for breakfast. If she doesn't eat it within a few hours, throw it away. Same goes for lunch and dinner. Please make sure she doesn't stash them.

https://www.henryspets.com/healthy-blocks-original-adult-formula/

If you want Brittney to eat her veggies, leave it with her. When she realizes that's all she'll be getting, she'll start eating. Tips on getting her to eat healthy:

https://www.henryspets.com/nutrition-info/

I hope someone will be able to give you advice on how to get her to take her Calcium.

If you're looking for a Rehabber for Brittney, someone on TSB may be able to find someone for you who will not euthanize.

[Mel1959]

It’s wonderful that you’re seeing some improvement, but it will take many more weeks for her bones to regain the calcium they lost. Stay the course for the MBD treatment. Some folks mix the calcium with the formula if you are providing formula.

The Esbilac powdered puppy formula can be purchased online at places like Amazon and Chewey.com (search for the cheapest price). Locally I’ve found it at Tractor Supply Stores, Pet Supermarket and feed stores. Some WalMarts also carry it.

A good rodent block is essential for Brittney to stay healthy. Give only veggies, no fruit. She won’t starve herself....she will eventually eat them. :grin2. Fruit is a treat/reward after she’s eaten the good stuff. :grin3